Trello vs. Jira: In-Depth Software Comparison

There are many project management software products on the market and it can be difficult to decide which is the best choice. Two of the more popular solutions are Trello and Jira. Both are project management software tools with similar features. The best way to determine which is a good fit for an organization is to pit the two against one another, which is what we’ll do. Trello vs. Jira, may the best software win.

Both software products are designed for agile project management, though not exclusively. Still, they have features that agile teams use, whether for large or small projects. They also share features that foster collaboration allowing teams to access the software whether in the office, working remotely or in a hybrid environment. They tend to attract industries as varied as marketing, IT, design, operations, financial services and more.

We’ll look closely at each software to see who wins in a Trello vs. Jira bout. First, we’ll define what each one is, what it’s used for, who uses it and its key features. Then we’ll compare the two and see which excels at what and where it lags behind the other.

While Trello vs. Jira fought it out, it became clear that a competitor had them both beaten. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that does what Trello vs. Jira does, but better. It’s a tool that can be used for any methodology due to its multiple project views. For example, project managers can plan on robust Gantt charts that link all four types of task dependencies, filter the critical path and set a baseline to track time, costs and more in real time. Jira can’t do that without costly integrations. Those plans can be shared with teams who can manage their work on kanban boards, like Trello, but also on task lists, which are more powerful than Trello’s to-do lists (not to mention, Trello has no Gantt charts). Plus, calendar views give stakeholders an overview of progress to keep them informed. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

ProjectManager's Gantt chart with filter for the critical path — ProjectManager beats Trello vs. Jira with more robust features. Learn more

Trello vs. Jira: Why Should You Choose Trello?

We’ll get into why ProjectManager beats Trello vs. Jira, but to be fair let’s do our due diligence. Now it’s time to take a deep dive into Trello and explore the software and why it’s popular and reasons why it isn’t the top choice of many project management professionals.

What Is Trello?

Trello is project management software that helps teams organize, plan and collaborate on tasks, workflows and projects. It focuses on kanban boards and list making, which makes it an ideal tool for agile teams and kanban workflows. It has a simple and intuitive interface, which makes it a product often chosen by beginners managing lightweight projects.

What Is Trello Used For?

As noted above, Trello is used in agile project management, but can also be used in more traditional project management methodologies. Users have also bought Trello for personal task management as it’s a simple way for individuals to manage tasks, set reminders and meet deadlines. Some use it for client pipeline management, too.

Who Uses Trello?

Trello is used by professionals and individuals alike. Industries that have used Trello to manage their work include realty, mortgage agents and commission-based sales. It has also been used in companies that work in manufacturing, analytics, marketing technology, nonprofits and more.

Trello Key Features

As seen above, Trello works in a variety of companies, but all share a common need for managing workflow. Trello is specially designed for such activities as it’s predominantly a kanban-style tool. Here are some of its key features.

Kanban boards to manage workflow
Automation to streamline workflow
Collaboration to connect cross-functional teams

Trello vs. Jira: How Is Trello Better Than Jira?

Now to the meat of the Trello vs. Jira argument: where does Trello beat Jira? Trello will be the winner for those who need a tool that can support a wider range of teams than Jira can. It is more flexible and suitable for more use cases than Jira.

Trello also offers a simpler approach to task management than Jira and, therefore, is attractive to hybrid team coordination. It’s easy to use and its features aren’t going to get in the way of team collaboration, which makes it a great tool for agile teams managing the sprint process.

Trello vs. Jira: How Is Trello Worse Than Jira?

One place where Trello is worse than Jira is the free version. Both have one, but Trello only offers users 10 boards. Jira has a free version that has unlimited boards, as well as other views, such as backlogs, lists, timelines, calendars and summaries.

While Trello can support a wide range of teams and use cases, Jira offers a more structured tool that supports the complex processes of dev teams. In the Trello vs. Jira match, both have similar features. Trello leans heavily on kanban boards, but Jira offers that and scrum and sprint boards. This makes it an even better agile tool than Trello.

Trello vs. Jira: Why Should You Choose Jira?

Trello has had the spotlight and we’ve seen where it beats Jira. Now, let’s turn our attention to Jira, another project management tool that is popular and shares many of the functionalities and use cases as Trello, but is distinct and deserving of a thorough overview.

What Is Jira?

Jira is a project management and issue-tracking tool teams use to plan, track and manage work. It helps in planning by breaking down projects into achievable tasks, creating milestones and mapping dependencies. It tracks issues, progress and results, while also using visual reporting tools to see the percentage of tasks completed and how work is progressing.

What Is Jira Used For?

Jira is used for various things. For example, it’s used in software development for planning and launching campaigns, tracking bugs and release management. Marketers use it to manage and track requests, while IT professionals use Jira to build creative workflows. It can also be found in design for creating custom processes, operation planning and task organization.

Who Uses Jira?

Jira is used across industries and it’s commonly found in software development, where teams use its core features and agile functionality. IT teams use the Jira Service Desk add-on for incident management, change management and issue tracking. Other departments that use Jira include HR, finance, operations and marketing for task management, approving workflows and changing requests.

Jira Key Features

To serve all those different departments, Jira has a lot of features. They like to think of themselves as a tool that can manage the big picture down to every detail. These are the main features that they have to do so.

Boards for scrum, kanban, backlog prioritization and sprint planning
Custom workflows to take tasks from inception to completion
Reporting and dashboard tools to get a clear picture of the project’s trajectory

Trello vs. Jira: How Is Jira Better Than Trello?

Jira wins the Trello vs. Jira battle because of its better range of task management features. Jira has features that Trello doesn’t, such as time tracking, task dependencies and data visualization tools on all its plans. This means better management of more complex projects.

Another feature that Jira offers that Trello lacks is bug tracking, which is why it’s the preferred software for dev teams. It can also track projects across releases and allows users to customize the software to match the needs and goals of their organization.

Trello vs. Jira: How Is Jira Worse Than Trello?

That doesn’t mean Jira gets the crown in the Trello vs. Jira contest. There are ways in which Jira doesn’t match up to Trello. One area that might be surprising, Jira scores less than Trello in terms of security. While both have two-factor authentication, Trello has quest access and Jira doesn’t. Plus, there is a user permissions function available on all Trello plans, but only on paid ones for Jira.

Jira might have a lot of use cases, but they tend to be similar. Trello, on the other hand, is a tool that appeals to a larger section of teams and use cases. That might be because Trello is easier to use than Jira. That’s one of the advantages of not having a huge list of features. Trello is easier to set up and is the preferred software for those simpler tasks and projects.

Trello vs. Jira: Pricing Comparison

But what’s the bottom line? It’s the price that often is the deciding factor when choosing between Trello vs. Jira. Let’s look at the different pricing tiers available for both. Let’s start with Trello, which has a free version, but there are more features with the below-paid ones.

Standard: $5 user/month
Premium: $10 user/month
Enterprise: $17.50 user/month

Now, let’s look at Jira’s price options. There is also a free version of Jira. The other plans are as follows.

Standard: $7.16 user/month
Premium: $12.48 user/month
Enterprise: Call sales

ProjectManager Is Better Than Trello and Jira

We mentioned it at the start of this Trello vs. Jira comparison and we’ll say it again: ProjectManager leaves both tools in the dust. For one, Trello doesn’t have a Gantt chart, like our tool. It’s ideal for collaboration on big and small projects and has more in-depth features, such as resource management, analytics and reporting. We beat Jira, too. Even though it has a Gantt chart, it’s not as powerful as ours, which can track all four types of task dependencies. We appeal to a wide range of teams and have automated scheduling and budget management as well as stronger data storage and security. Add customization and notifications and the winner is clear when comparing Trello vs. Jira. But there’s more.

Monitor Project Progress, Timelines and Costs in Real Time

While Jira does have reports and dashboards, they’re not as easy to use as ours. Once a baseline has been set on the Gantt chart, live data is automatically delivered throughout the software. There’s no need for a complicated or time-consuming setup. Our real-time dashboard or portfolio dashboard is ready when needed to provide an overview of time, cost, workload and more in easy-to-read graphs and charts. ‘

Make Project Management Reports In Minutes

For more information, toggle over to reports, which can be generated with a keystroke. Get status and portfolio reports, as well as reports on variance, timesheets and workload. All reports can be filtered to go deep for managers or general for stakeholders. They can also be shared in a variety of formats to keep stakeholders informed.